Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:34 pm
Last Saturday I was given the opportunity to photograph a WWII pilot. The Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, located in Titusville FL, contacted me and asked if I would like to come out and take photos.
Mr. Arvid Shook was barely 20 years old, just prior to WWII. Since graduating from High School in Akron Ohio, he had tried to sign up for the military and go to flight school. However, at that time, the US required 2 years of college, so he decided to hitch hike to Canada and sign up with the Royal Canadian Air Force. His first trainer, at the Canadian flying school, was a bi-plane called the “Tiger Moth.” Later, an American General came up and said that if they wanted to return to the States right then and begin flight training all over, they would be commissioned in the US Military -- and he did. Mr. Shook was eventually, assigned to the China, India, Burma (CBI) Theater, where he flew the treacherous “hump” (Himalayas); often overloaded and in terrible weather conditions. He flew the famous C-46 Commando and C-47 Skytrain among many others, such as the B-25, B-17, C-124 and C-119. He was stationed around the world including Korea and Japan. For his 91st birthday the museum took him up in a Tiger Moth, the first plane he trained in. The photos you see of the gentleman signing a book is the pilot that took Mr. Shook up in the plane. The book he is signing is Mr. Shook's original flight log book from 1942.
It was a great honor for me to be able to document this special occassion with my camera for the family and the museum. To see more of the photos of this event go to the link in my signature below.
DSC_0400 by dwhart24, on Flickr
DSC_0483 by dwhart24, on Flickr
DSC_1036 by dwhart24, on Flickr
Mr. Arvid Shook was barely 20 years old, just prior to WWII. Since graduating from High School in Akron Ohio, he had tried to sign up for the military and go to flight school. However, at that time, the US required 2 years of college, so he decided to hitch hike to Canada and sign up with the Royal Canadian Air Force. His first trainer, at the Canadian flying school, was a bi-plane called the “Tiger Moth.” Later, an American General came up and said that if they wanted to return to the States right then and begin flight training all over, they would be commissioned in the US Military -- and he did. Mr. Shook was eventually, assigned to the China, India, Burma (CBI) Theater, where he flew the treacherous “hump” (Himalayas); often overloaded and in terrible weather conditions. He flew the famous C-46 Commando and C-47 Skytrain among many others, such as the B-25, B-17, C-124 and C-119. He was stationed around the world including Korea and Japan. For his 91st birthday the museum took him up in a Tiger Moth, the first plane he trained in. The photos you see of the gentleman signing a book is the pilot that took Mr. Shook up in the plane. The book he is signing is Mr. Shook's original flight log book from 1942.
It was a great honor for me to be able to document this special occassion with my camera for the family and the museum. To see more of the photos of this event go to the link in my signature below.
DSC_0400 by dwhart24, on Flickr
DSC_0483 by dwhart24, on Flickr
DSC_1036 by dwhart24, on Flickr
Last edited by Dwhart24 on Sun Aug 21, 2011 12:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:44 pm
Really like that first shot. Such joy! Thanks for sharing!
Re: Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:06 pm
That is really awesome! Capturing moments like that really makes being a photographer worth the times standing in the rain, mud, etc to get that one shot.
Re: Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:01 pm
Thanks guys.
I know what you mean Eric.
I know what you mean Eric.
Re: Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:29 am
Well done, if you see him again, please ask him if he flew the "hump" with Charles Greinke....
Re: Mr. Shook. WWII pilot, flys again.
Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:10 am
Lynn Allen wrote:Well done, if you see him again, please ask him if he flew the "hump" with Charles Greinke....
Thanks Lynn. Will do.